Recent Storm Damage Posts

Is Your Bay County Home Storm-Ready?

As anyone who lives here knows, springtime in Bay County brings beautiful sunshine as well as strong rain and wind storms. With weather that can switch so quickly between the two, it’s important to make sure your home is storm-ready, prepared to handle and withstand unpredictable conditions.

It’s always a good idea to conduct a home and ground inspection before weather conditions take a turn for the worst. Things like leaky roofs or windows can be very problematic in the midst of heavy rainfall and strong winds, so checking them and making sure they are all fitted correctly is a critical step to take.

Checking for loose shutters and trimming back any trees or shrubbery that may be surrounding your home is another good way to get it storm-ready. Shutters, tree limbs, and other loose debris can get picked up by wind and thrown in any direction, including towards your house. Also inspect any drainage areas near or around your home, clearing them of any debris that may be creating blockage. This will help reduce chances of flooding your property during a storm.

Another thing to consider when preparing your home for a storm is what kind of system to have in place that will allow you to communicate with your loved ones and receive weather updates. In some cases, storms can become strong enough to put your cell phone’s service signal at risk, so it’s good to be prepared and have an alternative form of communication in place.

And as always, in the event of storm damage SERVPRO of Bay County is here to help. We’re available 24/7 and ready when you need us. Give us a call at (850) 785-1077.

Keeping Your Home Safe From Storm Damage

Storms are dangerous forces of nature that can be brutal, unpredictable, and strike without warning. Because they wreak such serious havoc, it’s important to take measures in keeping your home safe from potential storm damage.

So what can you do to be prepared? For starters, perform a full inspection of your home and its surrounding premises. You can do this personally or professionally. Check for leaks in your roof or windows, and make sure all exterior doors and windows are fitted correctly. Any cracks or gaps can lead to big problems during storms, so it’s important to fix up any you may find right away.

Next, check the condition of your shutters and rain gutters. Make sure they are sturdy and tight. If any are loose, get them fixed and tightened right away. Loose shutters and gutters can become dangerous in a storm because they are unstable and in some cases they can rip away from your house and blow around as debris. The same goes for any unstable large trees or loose tree limbs. Consider trimming back trees with any unhealthy looking branches that could be torn off in a storm.

If your home is older and has a drainage ditch in front of the property, inspect the area around it. Remove debris, dirt, and anything else that could obstruct that flow of water. This will prevent any blockage and clogging that could cause flooding.

Finally, have an emergency plan in place for your family to help ensure their safety in the event of a storm.

When a storm does hit, SERVPRO of Bay County has your back. We’ll take care of any emergency repairs or restorations your home may need. Give us a call at 850-785-1077

Advantages of Hurricane Shutters

Living in Florida where hurricane season occurs annually, it’s important to be prepared. When these dangerous storms hit, they can cause major damage to everything in their path. One safety precaution we recommend taking is installing Hurricane Shutters for your home because they offer many advantages in times of crisis:

Prevent Glass Breakage - When hurricane shutters are properly placed and installed over your glass doors and windows, they shield the glass from being broken by harmful wind, rain, and debris.

Reduce Risk of Injury - Broken windows welcome flying debris (including broken glass) into your home where your family may be seeking shelter. Without hurricane shutters, the combination of negative pressure, high velocity wind and violently circulating materials can enter into your home can cause serious injuries and even death to those caught in the crossfire.

Easy Operation - After hurricane shutters are installed, they are designed to be simply maneuvered by one person. This makes them easy to operate, and one less thing to worry about when dangerous storms hit.

Resale Factor - Hurricane shutters on your home can actually help increase its value on the housing market. They’re a feature prospective buyers will appreciate and can take comfort in.

Peace of Mind - Ultimately, installing hurricane shutters will give you peace of mind when a hurricane is imminent. You can take comfort in knowing you’ve taken the proper steps to prepare for the storm, and that the shutters will help keep your home and family protected.

Cleaning Your Gutters After A Storm

While Bay County, Florida experiences its fair share of sunny days throughout the year, it also brings the occasional rainstorm. By dumping a high volume of water in a relatively short amount of time, it’s important to take precautionary measures to prevent any damage being done to your home from these storms.

One measure you can take is cleaning out your home’s gutters after a storm hits, and you can do it in three easy steps:

First, start by scooping out debris.Find a ladder and securely place it against your home so you are able to reach the gutters comfortably. Start at the end closest to the drain outlet and gradually working your way to the other end, removing loose debris as you go.

Second, use a hose to spray a steady stream of water through the gutters towards the drain outlet. This will help remove and stubborn dirt and debris that may still be holding on from when you were scooping.

Third, be sure to check your drain pipes for any blockage. In some instances, rainstorms can force material into the pipes, causing potentially severe damage. A good way to detect if your drain pipes are blocked is if you see a trickle of water rather than a flow coming from them. If this is the case, try using a hose at the top of the gutter and spray directly into the outlet to help clear any congestion.

Following these steps will help prevent your gutters from taking on damage from blockage and build up. If you experience any major damage, give SERVPRO of Bay County a call and our experts will be there to help you resolve and repair the issue. 850-785-1077

Protecting Your Home From Rain Damage

While rain water in and of itself doesn’t pose a huge threat, rainstorms that are heavy and occur over several days can expose your home to long-term damage. Here are a few steps you can take to reduce water damage risks:

Have A Healthy Roof

The best protection for your home in stormy weather conditions is your roof – think of it as your first line of defense. Make sure your roof is in good condition by looking for things like loose shingles, surface divots, soft spots, and cracks. Roofs that exhibit any of these can cause leaks, leading to potentially serious internal damage on your walls on ceiling. If you don’t see any problems with your roof but are still wondering if it’s up to standards, it never hurts to call a professional to come out and give it an inspection.

Inspect Your Gutters

Having well running gutters in place can be critical when experiencing heavy rainfall. Gutters help keep water off your home’s walls, so it’s important to keep them clean and clear of debris.

Direct Water Away from Your Home

This may seem like an obvious one, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Directing rainwater runoff away from the foundation of your home prevents the formation of puddles around it. As water seeps into the ground, it can crack your foundation, creating an opening for more water to get in and attract mold and mildew. Downspouts that direct water five to ten feet away from your house play a big role in preventing that kind of damage.

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Following these steps will help you keep your home safe and protected from water damage during the rainy season. As always, if you do experience any type of water or storm damage, give us a call and our response team will be there to fix it in no time.

Helping Our Neighbors in Louisiana.

Florida is accustomed to hurricanes wreaking havoc on our beautiful beaches and cities and so is our neighbor Louisiana. But, when a recent rain event caused almost as much damage as Hurricane Katrina did in 2015 we were caught by surprise. SERVPRO of Bay County dispatched several teams to assist our Louisiana counterparts in the aftermath of this unusual rain event the likes not seen in over 40 years. “We saw the need and we made the call to go assist, that’s just what we do” said Sean Grier, owner of SERVPRO of Bay County. “Our employees were all on board from the start. We currently have a crew helping on the residential level to get people back in their homes as fast as possible. It’s times like these that make being a part of the SERVPRO family a source of honor and pride. Helping people in need makes coming to work every day meaningful” said Grier.

Louisiana has a long cleanup ahead, but they are a strong state and with the support of many organizations and businesses I have no doubt they will be back as strong as ever! SERVPRO was just happy to help in some small way.

For help with your disaster no matter the size, call SERVPRO of Bay County at 850-785-1077.

SERVPRO is a leader in Storm Disaster Response

Area wide disasters happen all the time across the United States. SERVPRO knows how important it is to our customers that we are available to respond immediately to meet their needs. That is why we create relationships with other franchises in multiple regions. A storm’s devastation may be too large for an individual franchise but not for our storm teams, disaster response teams or Extreme teams. Often I am asked what does it mean when we say, “We’ve mobilized?” Our mobilization process starts way before the storm begins it is a lot of preparing right up until the first call to actually start trucks rolling. At SERVPRO of Bay County when it is apparent a named storm is headed our way, our team of professionals will begin contacting Commercial customers who have completed and Emergency Ready Profile (ERP) and confirming their desire for SERVPRO of Bay County to respond to their property after the storm passes. We then begin to reach out to our storm, disaster and extreme teams asking for help. We always plan to have enough help to service our commercial properties as well as the residential calls as well. Those teams will dispatch big rig trucks loaded with equipment and supplies to the affected areas, to include highly trained professionals.

The first 72 hours after the storm hits is the high-pressure part of hurricane damage restoration. Assessment is being done, equipment is being mobilized, scopes are being written, equipment is being setup, and everyone wants their structure mitigated and returned to working order immediately. This is when the experience and professionalism of our organization is unrivaled. We are able to simultaneously asses, communicate, and mitigate on the largest of scales while also gaining approvals from the parties we are servicing.

Emergency Readiness

Emergency Preparedness is usually discussed a few times a year, particularly at the beginning of storm season and then left to collect dust on the corner of a desk. Everyone knows it’s an important subject however it’s one of those items that keeps getting pushed to the proverbial tomorrow. Most people have a “plan” to get out however very few people have a true plan to get back in.

No one plans on a disaster, but you can plan to be “Ready for whatever happens” and SERVPRO of Bay County wants to help you. SERVPRO has a tool designed to not only help you before the storm but also prepare you to get back to business after the storm. The Emergency Ready Profile is a no cost assessment of your property containing pertinent information about utilities, account #’s, priority contacts including your insurance. The profile is compiled on an App compatible with your smart device, therefore this information is always at your fingertips.

If you’re tired of looking at the unfinished plan on the corner of your desk and want to quickly and effectively make a plan to reduce business interruption as well as protect your property and investments